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Pirates turn to Correia in clash with Cubs

Aug 2, 2011 - 2:48 PM (Sports Network) - First-half standout Kevin Correia tries to recapture the magic for the Pittsburgh Pirates tonight when they host the visiting Chicago Cubs in the second game of a four-game series at PNC Park.

Unlikely success stories so far in 2011, the Pirates have fallen on hard times of late, dropping six of seven contests to fall 5 1/2 games off the pace of the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League's Central Division.

The Brewers have won seven games in a row.

Pittsburgh's Derrek Lee homered off two former teammates in his Pirates debut on Monday, but Carlos Zambrano and the Cubs held on for a 5-3 win.

The Cubs captured their second straight victory on the heels of an 0-5 start to their 10-game road trip.

Lee, who played six-plus seasons for the Cubs in the prime of his 15-year career, started at first base against his former team after the Pirates acquired him from Baltimore on Saturday for a minor leaguer.

He knocked in all three Pittsburgh runs as part of a 10-hit outburst, but the Pirates played catch-up all night and never held a lead.

Zambrano (8-6) labored through six innings, giving up seven hits and throwing 114 pitches, but Lee's homer counted as the only run he allowed. He struck out five, walked three and hit a single.

Starlin Castro had three of Chicago's seven hits and scored a run for the Cubs, while five different players had an RBI in the win.

Neil Walker and Pedro Alvarez joined Lee with two hits apiece for the Pirates. Ryan Ludwick, who was acquired from San Diego prior to Sunday's trade deadline and also made his Pittsburgh debut, started in left field and was 0-for-3 with a walk.

Paul Maholm (6-11) took the loss after giving up four runs on six hits in six innings.

Correia, who'd won just 36 times in 231 big-league appearances heading into this season, notched win No. 12 in his last start on July 28 in Atlanta.

In that game, the native Californian allowed an earned run on nine hits in 6 1/3 innings while beating the Braves, 5-2.

He won just 10 games with San Diego last year, but had 11 wins by the All-Star break this season as the Pirates became a factor in the divisional race.

Correia is 3-3 in 11 career meetings with the Cubs.

Chicago counters with righty Randy Wells, who looks for win No. 3 in an inconsistent season.

The Illinois native was a breakout 12-game winner with the Cubs in 2009, but won only eight times in 32 starts as a follow up last season and has made just 12 starts thus far in 2011.

He last won July 23 against Houston, when he gave up a run in six innings, then dropped a 4-2 decision at Milwaukee on July 28 after allowing four runs on eight hits in six innings.

He's 2-2 in six lifetime meetings with the Pirates.

Pittsburgh has won six of its 10 meetings with the Cubs this season.